Improved reading-desk



' I tenida gaat JOHN 'Mossel- Nena orf-NEW YORK, N. Y.`

Letters Patent No. 95,369, dated September 28, 1869.

IMPRQVED 'READING-DESK.

The Schedule referredito-n these Letters Patent andvmaking part ot the'same.

To allcvhom it may concern Be it known that I, J oHN MonssrNcnR, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have inventeda new and im proved Reading-Desk; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make'and use the same, reference` being-hadto the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawing- Figure ll represents a longitudinal vertical section of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a reading-desk, Vwhich is adjustable in a vertical and in Aa horizontal direction, so that the hook supported by the desk can he accommodated inits position to' the vposition of the person desiring to read. lhe platform supporting the book is made in two parts, which are connected together by a balanceslever, so that one rises when the other falls, and nice versa, and that the two parts of the platform will readily adaptthemselves to the two halves of the cover cfa hook, placed open on the desk.

The platform is provided with adjustable slides, carrying the cover-holders and the leaf-holders, so that the deskcan be readily adjusted to different sizes ot' books. j

In the drawing- 'lhe letter A designates a column, which rises from a base-plate, B, and which rn'ay either be near the end ofthe base-plate, onlin the centre thereof, as may be considered most convenient,

The base-plate' may be provided with a raised rim, so that articles placed thereon will not slide off, and may also he provided with shelves, to receive books, which are thus conveniently at hand7 and also serve as additional weights to steady the reading desk.

The columnAis bored out to receive a rod, G, which is adjustable in a vertical direction, by means of a setserew, a, and which carries a head, D, through which passes a horizontal l'od, E, which is adjustable by a set-screw, b.

The head D is also made adjustable by a set'- screw, c.

The horizontal rod E forms the guide for a head, F, which supports the reading-desk G, and which is adjustable by a set-screw, d.' v

The rod E is made round, so that the reading-desk cannot only he moved on-the same ina longitudinal direction, but it can also be turned to any desirable inclination, or adjusted in a horizontal position, as may -be required.

The reading-desk proper 1s composed of two parts, each of which is connected tothe head F by crosslevers e, which allow the same to-rise and fall, and

said two parts are connected together by a balancelever, H, so that if Vone rises, the otheris compelled to fall, and mice versa.

The object of this construction of the reading-desk is to allow the same'to adapt itself' to the cover of the book, spread open on thesame, as shown 'iniig. 1 of the drawing.

Each part of the reading-desk is provided with two slides f, which draw out in opposite directions from the ends of said parts, and which are fastened in the required position by set-screwsg.

To the outer` ends of these slides are secured transverse V-'shaped arms h, which form the guides-for slides i, carrying the cover-holders j, and the friction leaf-holders, k.

By means of the slides f t, the cover-holders can be readily brought into the required position to' catch and retain the cover of the book, spread on the desk, and the frictionleaf-holders le can be made to bear with sufficient force on theedges of the leaves, to prevent them from turning over spontaneously.

In many cases, however, particularly if the desk is brought in an inverted position,it is desirable to have surface leaf-holders l, which overlap the leaves, and retain them securely in position.

'lheseleaf-holders are secured to rods m, which rise from lateral slides n, and they are made in the form of weak springs, so that theyA can be readily forced back to release or admit the leaves.

f When Athe surface leaf-holders L are used, the flictiou leaf-holders can be dispensed with.

It must be remarked, that instead of using the colulnnAand platform B,the vertical rod O can be fitted l into a screw-clamp, which may be Screwed to a table or oth'er'piece -of furniture.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. The reading-desk G, constructed of two parts, united by a balance-lever, H, substantially as shown and described. Y

2. The end slides f, carrying the cover-holders j and friction leaf-holders le, either or both, in combination with the desk G, substantially as set forth.

3. The lateral slides n, carrying the surface leafholders l, in combination with the adjustable coverholders j, and with the. desk (lg-substantially as described.

This specification signed by me, this 11th 'day of August, 1869. s

JOHN MOESSINGER.

-Witnesses:

ADELBERT KMPLER,

W. HAUFF. 

